


Brothers of the Erebus

by fandom_susceptible



Category: Greek and Roman Mythology
Genre: Brotherhood, Comfort, Light Angst, Minor Character Death, The story has Thanatos what do you expect
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-27
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-11-05 17:45:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11018400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandom_susceptible/pseuds/fandom_susceptible
Summary: Thanatos comes to take a soul home, and Hypnos is waiting.





	1. Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An old man's peaceful death, and the reunion of two brothers.

     Hypnos hovered at the old man’s bedside, invisible to the wife who sat beside him.  It was late at night, and his heart was heavy as he sensed his twin nearing.  With a soft, indiscernible touch to her temple, he let the old woman sleep.  She did not have to see this.

     Thanatos came into his view; blind, dead eyes took in the scene, only capable of seeing the old man’s soul.  He extended a hand with a gentle expression. “Come.” He said softly.

     “Thanatos.” Hypnos could not stay silent.  He had seen very little of his brother lately.  The stress of the recent war had been keeping people awake, making his job harder and far more interactive than normal.  Meanwhile, the number of peaceful deaths had plummeted, with war taking more lives than time.

     The god of peaceful death paused, feathers rising as he turned his face toward Hypnos’ voice. “Brother.” He greeted softly. “I’m sorry.  It is his time.”

     “I know.” Hypnos rose. “I came to offer them peace before death, not to stop you.” He fluttered to Thanatos and wrapped his arms around his twin. “I’ve missed you.”

     Thanatos returned the embrace more awkwardly; he could not see in the living world.  He was the first to draw away, laying his hand to his twin’s face. “Ares and Athena pity us and lay halt to war.” He murmured in response. “My love to you, Hypnos.”

     Hypnos lay his forehead, with its pentagram mark, against his brother’s matching, though blackened, one. “And mine to you, Thanatos.  Hades be with you.”

     “And Zeus with you.” Thanatos drew away, extending his hand again to the rapidly solidifying form of the old man’s soul. “Come.” His voice as gentle and touch as soft as Hypnos, he guided the old man away from the room, on a journey to the Underworld.

     When they had faded out of view, Hypnos sighed and glanced again at the cooling body of the man, and the sleeping old woman.  She shifted, and he returned to her. “Sleep.” He commanded gently. “Sleep, my dear, and cope in the morning.  Hades have mercy and call you home soon.”

     He, too, had work to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, their foreheads have pentagram marks. No, I'm not sorry. Blame Hecate.


	2. The Work of Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hypnos continues his night after leaving the old woman's side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greek "daimons" are spirits of nature.

     Bowing his head, Hypnos spread his wings.  One beat transported him to the military camps of Athena.  Ares’ men were too close to battle for him to bother; the moment he set them to sleep, the Keres would have to take them to Charon.  Some of Athena’s, however, were safe enough to sleep.  He ignored the deadly disapproval of the battle goddess as he walked through her camp, invisible, his mere presence enough to lull some.

     “ _Hypnos._ ” Her stern voice echoed in his ethereal dream plane.

     “No, Athena.  They need to sleep.  I am worn thin and will not argue with you.”

     “ _But you will disobey me, daimon?_ ” She questioned, tone dangerous.

     His jaw tightened. “I answer to no one.” He said softly, wings flaring to expand his power. “Sleep.” He said gently to the army commander whose hands were shaking, eyes watery with exhaustion, as he pored over a map.  The man slept instantly.  The sleep god took pity on him and moved him to lie more comfortably on the ground.

     “ _Hypnos._ ”

     “ _Athena—sleep._ ” Even the Olympian goddess could not resist his command when it came unexpectedly.  She fell silent and her disapproval faded into her dreams.

     With another beat of his wings he found Ares.  A firmer touch to Ares’ temple, and a firmer command of “sleep”, and the war god slumped, defeated, to sleep on a desk.  No more would die at the god and goddess’ hands tonight.

     Listening intently, Hypnos found no more calls for him.  With a soft smile he beat his wings and returned to Erebus, inside the cave he shared with Thanatos.

     He was struck by how long he had been gone when he noticed the changes.  Their bed had clearly gone unused in favor of a more nest-like structure in a bare corner.  Blackened wing feathers outnumbered his own subdued white ones.  The torches were unlit; Thanatos was always the culprit of complete darkness, given that his sight did not depend upon light.

     Hypnos lit just one inverted torch, setting it in the entrance where it would not overwhelm the room.  He forewent the bed as well, burrowing into the nest Thanatos had built out of discarded cloth, blankets, and pillows.  His wings were comfortable for once in the softness.

     Mere minutes later, Thanatos joined him.  The brothers lay close together, sharing their warmth in the cold darkness of Erebus.  Hypnos knew that no gods needed sleep except him, as the god of sleep, so he was always grateful to his twin for sharing in it with him.  Thanatos accepted it, keeping to himself that he actually just watched over his brother.


End file.
